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Sonys PlayStation 2024 Wrap-Up has a slight problem: It isnt working. The site for accessing your year-end PlayStation stats and achievements has been down for maintenance since it launched nearly 24 hours ago. Push Square reports that, although some folks could briefly access their summaries, it quickly began showing errors to many before eventually collapsing. It now displays the Well be back soon message in the above image. Oops! The year-end replay is similar to Spotify Wrapped and other year-end summaries. Assuming Sony eventually gets it back up and running, it will show stats like your most played games, achievements, monthly gaming breakdowns, personal gaming style and more. For the first time this year, Sony added historical data like the number of games played since creating your account and reflections on trophies youve earned. The 2024 edition includes a nod to PlayStations 30th anniversary, with a retro PlayStation aesthetic and graphics that pay tribute to the brands history. The year-end rewind will be continually updated until the end of the year, so (once the kinks are ironed out), youll still have a chance to change it with some furious December marathon sessions. When Wrap Up returns, you can find it here. However, there are several requirements to be eligible. Youll need to be 18 or older with an active PlayStation Network account in your region and have played at least 10 hours on a PS4 or PS5 in the 2024 calendar year. Another point to consider is that youll have to opt in to share Full Data (or Additional Data in some regions, including the EU) from your PS5 console. So, if youre (wisely) cautious about big corporations hoovering up your data, consider whether a few moments of profiled nostalgia justify that cost.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstations-2024-wrap-up-has-been-mostly-out-of-commission-for-24-hours-190522062.html?src=rss
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Meta apps and services like Instagram, Facebook, Threads and Messenger are down as part of an apparent outage. Staff at Engadget and users across X and Bluesky have reported issues loading Metas websites and logging in. Even Metas company site is currently displaying the text This page isnt available right now. There were over 90,000 reports of issues for Facebook.com alone on Downdetector, and the site is also showing outage reports for Whatsapp, Threads, and Messenger too. The issue is clearly not concentrated on a single Meta app or service. Engadget has reached out to Meta for more information on the outage and will update this post once we learn more. The company noted that people have been experience issues on X and said a fix is in the works. Were aware that a technical issue is impacting some users ability to access our apps. Were working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible and apologize for any inconvenience. Meta (@Meta) December 11, 2024 Meta last dealt with a major outage in March 2024 that prevented users from accessing its apps and services for two hours. The last outage was attributed to a "technical issue" by Meta communications director Andy Stone, which is the same explanation Meta has offered so far today, but it's not clear when the issue will be resolved.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-threads-whatsapp-and-more-down-as-part-of-meta-outage-184608535.html?src=rss
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The latest Day of the Devs showcase has come and gone, but the stream placed a spotlight on a whole bunch of promising indie games. The event is curated by Double Fine and iam8bit and this digital showcase highlighted dozens of in-progress titles to keep an eye on. The virtual show included some world premieres and release date announcements, along with a bunch of new trailers about games we already knew about. We winnowed down the list to our 14 favorites, so its a baker's dozen plus one. These are all vastly different titles, with their own publishers, genres, budgets and visual styles. They have just one thing in common. These are indie games, in the truest sense of the word. New games Neon Abyss 2 The hit run-and-gun roguelite is getting a sequel, and it looks like an improvement over the original in every major way. Theres an updated weapons system and plenty of new melee and long-distance weapons to choose from, including a gun that quite literally shoots out a giant dragon. Item synergies are back, and are even crazier this time around. The sequel also includes many of the random elements from the original, like slot machines and claw games. There are brand-new minigames, such as a nifty-looking match-three puzzler. The graphics look similar to the original, but thats not a bad thing. I put like 80 hours into the first one on my Steam Deck, so this is definitely going on my wishlist. We dont even have long to wait, as the game hits Steam early access on January 14. Recur This goofy-looking puzzle platformer tasks players with controlling a postal worker that can manipulate time. Is a pack of angry dogs (they hate postal workers) harassing you on the beat? Rewind time and put them behind a locked gate. There look to be all kinds of unique puzzles that take advantage of the overlaying game mechanic. The graphics look gorgeous, with a cartoony art design, and the world looks both silly and dangerous. Its being published by Astra Logical, who released the well-received Rebots and Star Stuff. We dont have a release window for this one, but its definitely worth keeping an eye on. PBJ - The Musical As the name suggests, this is a musical game that stars peanut butter and jelly. The handcrafted art style is breathtaking, calling to mind stuff like the recent Yoshi games. The title chronicles the invention of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so it follows a peanut and a strawberry on their journey to get grinded up, salted, sugared and spread between two slices of bread. We dont know exactly how this game will play, though I spied some quick-time events in the trailer, but the music sounds great and the child-like mangling of Shakespearean dialogue is super-cute. Read the full story here. Tankhead This is a third-person action game in which players control flying drones that can connect to robots and vehicles, allowing for unique vehicular combat scenarios. The title Tankhead is quite literal, as the drone typically sits atop the head of a tank. The trailer shows other bizarre combinations, like some kind of nightmare hybrid between a building and a horse. Customization seems to be the name of the game here, with a myriad of chassis and weapon combos available. Want some good news? Tankhead is available right now on the Epic Games Store. Blippo+ Heres something really interesting from Panic, the publisher behind Untitled Goose Game and the creator of the adorable portable console Playdate. Blippo+ looks less like a game and more like those interdimensional cable episodes of Rick and Morty. The FMV title is a portal to an entire cable platform of made-up TV shows, complete with a directory of whats airing and more oddities than you can shake a stick at. It's being developed by YACHT and Telefantasy Studios, and seems to have a similar vibe to the latter company's archive, drag performer included. We arent sure what the actual game will be, or if there even is one beneath the layer of public access grime, but the trailer sure has us intrigued. Itll be available for PC via Steam in the near future. Release date announcement Hyper Light Breaker Can you believe it? The successor to the surprise hit Hyper Light Drifter is nearly here, as the game releases as an early access title on Steam on January 14. Notice I said successor and not sequel. Hyper Light Breaker drops the retro 2D Zelda aesthetic in favor of an all-new 3D engine, while the story itself is positioned more as a prequel. Its also no longer a single-player affair, as this game places an emphasis on co-op play. One thing that hasnt changed? The action is still relentless and there will still be waves of enemies to slash through. This follow-up has faced some delays, so its good to see we are only a month out from giving it a go. Read the full story on Hyper Light Breaker here./p> Other stuff that looks dope Kingmakers Have you ever wanted to change the course of history by going back in time with a few machine guns and laying waste to hordes of medieval-era bozos? Thats the basic premise of Kingmakers. The game asks players to grab a gun and lead an army of thousands into massive, real-time simulated battles. Its a blend of action and strategy, like many medieval real-time strategy games, but with an exceptionally strong hook. Also, everything is destructible and can be blown up, which is always a nice touch. The game can be played solo or in a co-op mode with up to four players. It comes out sometime next year as an early access title. Bionic Bay This nifty-looking title takes its inspiration from games like Gravity Rush and Limbo. Its a side-scrolling platformer with a gorgeous aesthetic, just like the aforementioned Limbo, but the protagonist has the ability to control time and gravity. He can also teleport objects. This leads to all manner of precision-based platforming and plenty of unique puzzles, all set across an ancient biomechanical world. Publisher Kepler Interactive, who released the incredible Pacific Drive, are calling it a platformer like no other. It comes out on March 13 for PS5 and PC via Steam. Its available for wishlisting right now. Faraway Looking for something simple, yet hopelessly addictive? Faraway is a one-button affair that tasks folks with exploring the furthest reaches of space. This is done by drawing constellations and connecting stars together. Its a puzzle game, complete with various modes, a high-score counter and multipliers. The maps are procedurally generated and the graphics look appropriately minimal. This one has the Annapurna pedigree, so its definitely worth keeping an eye on. We could all use a new iconic puzzle game. Faraway will be released for PC sometime in 2025. Read the full story on Faraway here. Sleight of Hand This is a third-person hybrid game that combines stealth action with deckbuilding, all set in a magical noir-tinged city. Its extremely easy on the eyes, with a darkened color palette and a cast of oddballs. Players control an occult detective pulled out of retirement to do one last job. You know the drill. Its noir. As for gameplay, the developers say its like Metal Gear Solid, only with the guns and tools replaced by cards. These cards dictate what moves and powers are available. The protagonist can disappear in a puff of smoke or set a bunch of nameless thugs on fire, so long as the deck is right. It looks fun! Sleight of Hand is available to wishlist right now and will be released for Xbox consoles and PC via Steam. Itll also be available on Game Pass when it launches. Read the full story on Sleight of Hand here. Blue Prince This game is described as a roguelike Gone Home mixed with a board game. From the trailer, that doesnt sound so far off. The game tasks players with exploring a large estate that changes every day, due to an ever-shifting blueprint (thus the title.) There are plenty of family mysteries to unravel and a strategy component that allows for purposeful rejiggering of the aforementioned blueprint. The vibe is appropriately eerie and, well, who doesnt like exploring a creepy old mansion? Blue Prince is a PC title that launches in the early part of next year. Read the full story on Blue Prince here. Feltopia This hand-felted stop motion game looks absolutely stunning and it was developed by a pair of twin siblings. The felt. The fabric. It all looks so real. Feltopia is, basically, a shmup, but with some unique mechanics that set it apart from rival shooters. First of all, there will be no killing of enemies. Instead, players shoot positive vibes that transform monsters into friends. The developers are calling it a cute-em-up instead of a shoot-em-up. Also, every single sprite in the game has been needle-felted by hand. Thats some dedication. You can wishlist this one on Steam right now, but it doesnt actually come out until 2026. All of that fabric work takes time. Read the full story on Feltopia here. Incolatus: Don't Stop, Girlypop! Heres something Ive never seen before. Incolatus: Don't Stop, Girlypop! is a first-person shooter inspired by early 2000s girly pop. The soundtrack is pumping, everything is pink and players communicate via a Nokia-style flip phone. Theres another twist, beyond those retro-soaked vibes. The game encourages people to never stand still, like the early 2000s action flick Crank. Constant movement will reward players with bonus damage and healing. Finally, theres a dress up minigame thats inspired by CD ROM titles from the 1990s and early 2000s. Inject this game into my Y2K-loving veins please. Its available to wishlist on Steam right now and will be released soon. Read the full story on Incolatus here. LOK Digital As the name suggests, this is a digital version of a pre-existing puzzle book. It may look like a traditional word search puzzle, but players are dropped in without any guidance. We'll have to figure out the rules on our own, which can be deduced by working through the 90 puzzles. Theres a legitimate story and an entire made-up language. Thats right. The words that comprise each puzzle grid will not be in English, or in any recognizable language. Every time a player unlocks (or unloks) a new word, it provides a unique power up. The whole point is to use these power ups to black out the entire grid. It looks pretty fun and, guess what, its available right now on PC. The devs say itll be released for mobile devices next year. This does seem like the perfect tablet game. If those 14 games aren't enough, check out the whole Day of the Devs stream here!This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/here-are-the-14-most-interesting-titles-from-the-day-of-the-devs-game-awards-stream-183001600.html?src=rss
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